"Until it says we're eliminated, it doesn't" - LeBron James defiant in defeat, feels season isn't over after LA Lakers lose a near-must win game vs New Orleans Pelicans
LeBron James is yet to give up on the LA Lakers' saving their season following their loss in a near-must win game against fellow play-in tournament hopefuls, the New Orleans Pelicans. The Lakers blew a six-point lead in the fourth quarter to lose the tie 111-114.
James missed the game-tying 3-point shot on the last possession as the Lakers dropped to 11th in the Western Conference standings, taking another hit in their quest to make the play-in tournament. They are now a whole game behind the San Antonio Spurs in 11th place and also don't have a tie-breaker advantage.
LeBron James' game-tying three at the buzzer misses.
Lakers fall to 11th, a full game back of the Spurs and 3 games back of the Pelicans 😲
https://t.co/YOEUuWtCOx
Here's what LeBron had to say about the loss and Lakers mentality moving forward during his media-availability session (via NBA Interviews):
"Well until it says we're eliminated, it doesn't. So I mean till that moment we'll know what our destiny is, but right now we don't, so just keep pushing forward."
The LA Lakers have to face the sixth-seeded Denver Nuggets twice, the league leaders Phoenix Suns, third-placed Golden State Warriors and the OKC Thunder in their remaining five games. Going 4-1 or 5-0 during this stretch is the only way the Lakers will have a chance to salvage their season.
Considering four of those games are against three of the top six teams in the conference standings, it's going to be an uphill task for LeBron James and Co. to achieve the tenth seed.
LA Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis look solid in their return from injuries
The LA Lakers took a big step by including LeBron James and Anthony Davis in their lineup for their big match against the New Orleans Pelicans. AD had been out since February 16th due to a midfoot sprain, while LeBron was nursing an ankle injury and had missed the last two games.
The duo looked great on their return, despite playing through injuries as LeBron James scored 38 points and bagged eight rebounds on 13 of 23 shooting, while Anthony Davis had 23 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. Both played without any minute restrictions.
Feels like Anthony Davis has been aggressive off the dribble in this one. Pick and pop with LeBron, not looking to settle on the catch. A reminder. https://t.co/YT8beVV2nu
James and Davis' impressive showing may have led many to believe that the Lakers were on their way to winning against the Pelicans, but both stars failed to carry the momentum into the fourth quarter of the match. They scored a combined nine points on two of nine shooting during that stretch as LA blew a six-point lead and lost the tie by a 3-point margin.
The Lakers' hopes of making the play-in tournament still rely on LeBron James and Anthony Davis, so they will be hoping to stay healthy in their last five games. The duo will have to rediscover the magic that helped them lead LA to their 17th title in the 2019-20 season, as that seems like the only way for Frank Vogel's men to achieve play-in tournament qualification.